Orioles’ Alfredo Simon Suspect in New Year’s Eve Killing

Major League Baseball pitcher Alfredo Simon of the Baltimore Orioles is the main suspect in a New Year’s Eve killing in his native Dominican Republic, the Associated Press said in a report.

According to the AP, citing information from Dominican police, Simon has been tagged as the culprit in the killing of a certain Michel Castillo Almonte and the wounding of the victim’s brother. The alleged shooting incident reportedly took place in the coastal town of Luperon. Police said Simon, who played as a closer and a reliever for the Orioles this year, escaped after the incident.

An Orioles representative in the Dominican Republic, Felipe Alou Jr., said Simon has denied the allegations when he talked to him. Simon, who went 4-2 for Baltimore this season, is not new to controversies. In 1999, Simon used the name Carlos Cabrera and lied about his age when he first started as a minor leaguer for the Philadelphia Phillies’ Dominican Summer League team La Vega Phillies. The Phillies immediately traded Simon after discovering that he was using a fake name and age.